ARIZONA POLICE ASSOCIATION

1102 West Adams Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
Telephone – (602) 249-4358
Facsimile – (602) 246-0226
Web – www.azpolice.org

PRESS RELEASE

April 13, 2006

Police Oppose SB1157

The Arizona Police Association (APA) has joined with other police groups around the state to request that Governor Janet Napolitano veto the recently passed SB1157. The APA’s decision was difficult because the sponsors of this bill are living up to the responsibility to protect their constituents and are not waiting for federal action that may or may not come; however, “we cannot allow citizens and officers to be placed in great danger to arrest a few undocumented persons while the border remains a revolving door,” Executive Director Dale Norris stated.

The federal government has failed to adequately staff and fund border operations and immigration enforcement. Border patrol officers face a continual barrage of violence and an onslaught of criminal minded border crossers without the manpower, equipment or legislative will to stop it. Mr. Norris states, “All resources should be focused on the securing the border now!”

Mr. Norris stated, “Local law enforcement is not staffed nor prepared to enforce federal immigration laws as this bill requires.” Mr. Norris, a retired Phoenix police officer, states that the new law creates 500,000 suspected violators in Arizona but provides no training, staffing, funding or resources to compensate for the additional burden on local agencies. “While officers spend hours prosecuting this law, who will come when citizens call for help?” Additionally, Mr. Norris mentioned that this law may cause undocumented persons to distrust their local police and fail to cooperate as victims or witnesses.

The APA is a statewide coalition of police organizations that focuses the political efforts of its nineteen member groups that represent nearly 7,000 federal, state, county and local law enforcement officers including nearly 2,000 border patrol agents.

Although police disagree with the approach taken in this bill, they too want the border secured. Every member of the Arizona Police Association is honored to serve and committed to protecting the good people of Arizona.

Contact: Dale Norris, Executive Director
office: (602) 249-4358
cell: (602) 319-5872
e-mail: director@azpolice.org